- London Gatwick began using contactless eGates during the week of October sixth, twenty twenty-six.
- Eligible British citizens may clear arrival control without scanning a passport if facial checks succeed.
- The phased rollout is planned for thirteen UK airports by early twenty twenty-seven.
London Gatwick began using upgraded contactless eGates during the week of October 6, 2026, allowing eligible British citizens to enter without first placing a passport on the reader. The change applies at arrival border control only.
The gates take a live image and compare it with travel and immigration records. A successful match opens the barrier. This is not passport-free travel.
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Passengers must still carry their physical passports. Airlines continue to require them for check-in and boarding, and Border Force can ask to see one during an additional check.
The new process initially covers British citizens using eligible gates. The government plans to extend it to other nationalities already allowed to use UK eGates as the rollout proceeds.
The passport reader is optional only when the face check succeeds
At the gate, a traveller looks toward a camera. The system uses facial-recognition technology to compare the captured image with verified immigration, travel and passport records. When checks clear, the barrier opens without a passport scan.
A failed match does not end the inspection. The traveller may have to scan the passport at the gate or go to a staffed Border Force desk. Officers will continue monitoring the gates and helping passengers.
Passengers should keep their passports accessible throughout the journey. They should not leave them at home or pack them in checked baggage. The change affects the immigration-entry step, not airline document checks or the United Kingdom’s entry requirements.
The process is intended to give some passengers a faster route through arrival control. It does not remove the possibility of a manual examination.
- Keep the physical passport available during the journey.
- Look at the camera when directed at the eGate.
- Wait for the face and travel-record checks to finish.
- Proceed if the gate opens; scan the passport or attend a staffed desk if referred.
The rollout began at East Midlands and reaches 13 airports
The UK programme started on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at East Midlands Airport, the first airport to introduce the upgraded gates. Gatwick had the system in place during that week.
The Home Office expects the technology to reach UK airports equipped with eGates by early 2027. The planned locations are:
- Birmingham
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- East Midlands
- Edinburgh
- Gatwick
- Glasgow
- Heathrow
- London City
- Luton
- Manchester
- Newcastle
- Stansted
The schedule is phased. Not every listed airport began offering the system on the same date.
British citizens go first, with other eGate users planned later
The initial process is for British citizens travelling on British passports who are eligible to use the gates. The government intends to extend access to other nationalities already permitted to use UK eGates during the rollout.
Potential future users include eligible biometric-passport holders from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and participating European countries. Existing eligibility rules otherwise remain in force.
The change therefore alters how an eligible traveller may complete a check, not who qualifies to enter the UK or use an eGate. A passport remains part of the journey even when the gate does not request a scan.
Border Force says the system checks a smaller arrival group
Phil Douglas, Director General of Border Force, said airlines will send border systems a gallery of passport photographs for arriving British passengers on that day’s flights. That lets the system compare a traveller against the expected arrivals rather than searching every passport record, he said.
“Because we know who's coming and can load up that gallery of who is arriving, it's not a one in 60 million check, it's a one in tens of thousands check.”
Home Office testing found the contactless process could be up to 25% faster than the current procedure, which requires a passport scan. The department also says the system could reduce queues by as much as 25%. Passengers referred for a manual check will still use the existing passport-scan or staffed-control process.
Douglas described the project as “a win for travellers coming to our brilliant country.” He said: “By using state-of-the-art technology, we are making journeys smoother and faster, all while fully maintaining the UK's robust border security.”
He also said: “It will mean we have a more secure border and a much faster transit through the airport. It's quicker, it's more modern, it's more secure.” The system is designed to retain immigration checks while changing how some travellers complete them.
Airports say they will work with officials through the rollout
Karen Dee, Chief Executive of AirportsUK, called the change “excellent news for the passenger.” She said airports would work with government officials to support its introduction.
“It is vital that we have the fast, efficient borders that arrivals into the UK now expect, and we will work closely with our members and government officials to ensure a smooth rollout.”
Steve Griffiths, Managing Director of East Midlands Airport, said his airport welcomed being first in the UK to introduce the gates.
“We're delighted to be the first UK airport to have contactless eGates introduced by Border Force.”
The phased programme is due to continue through early 2027, with other eligible nationalities expected to be added as it expands.
